Commuter light transport experiences altitude overshoot on departure from msp.

Attributes
ACN	176022
Time
Date	199104
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msp
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : msp
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : sid enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 6400 flight time type : 210
ASRS Report	176002
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Issued standard departure SID to maintain 5000' and departed runway 11R. At 1000' AGL, called for first officer to set climb power, and at that time ATC had us fly 150 degrees (usually they issue an altitude at this time also, 9000 or 11000'). As we continued the climb the first officer kept adjusting the propeller RPM to sync the engines. Propeller sync was not working very good. I had the morning sun coming my left side window and was trying to adjust my visor. Nobody was calling out altitudes (no altitude alerter installed in aircraft). I was used to getting a climb out right away and was thinking about telling the first officer to get her head out of the cockpit when ATC said, 'maintain 5000'. I looked at altimeter and was at 5600' MSL. Factors were: conditioned during previous flts to expect a heading and climb after first officer preoccupied with propellers captain had a sticky, hard to adjust sun visor. Captain let first officer go too long a time before starting to say something about her preoccupation and neglect of other duties during climb phase.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER LTT EXPERIENCES ALT OVERSHOOT ON DEP FROM MSP.

Narrative: ISSUED STANDARD DEP SID TO MAINTAIN 5000' AND DEPARTED RWY 11R. AT 1000' AGL, CALLED FOR F/O TO SET CLB PWR, AND AT THAT TIME ATC HAD US FLY 150 DEGS (USUALLY THEY ISSUE AN ALT AT THIS TIME ALSO, 9000 OR 11000'). AS WE CONTINUED THE CLB THE F/O KEPT ADJUSTING THE PROP RPM TO SYNC THE ENGS. PROP SYNC WAS NOT WORKING VERY GOOD. I HAD THE MORNING SUN COMING MY LEFT SIDE WINDOW AND WAS TRYING TO ADJUST MY VISOR. NOBODY WAS CALLING OUT ALTS (NO ALT ALERTER INSTALLED IN ACFT). I WAS USED TO GETTING A CLBOUT RIGHT AWAY AND WAS THINKING ABOUT TELLING THE F/O TO GET HER HEAD OUT OF THE COCKPIT WHEN ATC SAID, 'MAINTAIN 5000'. I LOOKED AT ALTIMETER AND WAS AT 5600' MSL. FACTORS WERE: CONDITIONED DURING PREVIOUS FLTS TO EXPECT A HDG AND CLB AFTER F/O PREOCCUPIED WITH PROPS CAPT HAD A STICKY, HARD TO ADJUST SUN VISOR. CAPT LET F/O GO TOO LONG A TIME BEFORE STARTING TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT HER PREOCCUPATION AND NEGLECT OF OTHER DUTIES DURING CLB PHASE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.